Exclusive: Dapo Abiodun Rejects NWC Proposal For Truce in Ogun APC

Indications have emerged that the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun has allegedly rejected the proposal for the resolution of the crises in Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC by the National working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The national leadership of the Party had waded into the State chapters of the Party, including Ogun State, with a view to ending the protracted crises in the states, majorly between sitting Governors in and their predecessors.

The seven states include Kano, Abia, Kebbi, Gombe, Imo, Ogun and Zamfara State.

HorizonTimes exclusively gathered from the Party’s headquarters, that a committee was set up to look into the crises in the states and recommend workable solutions/sharing formulars of elective offices between the sitting governors and their successors.

In the case of Kano, between Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and a former Governor of the State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau; in Abia, between former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Ikechi Emenike and a member of Federal House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejeocha.

In Kebbi, elective positions were recommended to be shared amongst Governor Abubakar Bagudu, former Governor Muhammadu Adamu Aliero and Senator Yahya Abubakr Abdullahi; while in Gombe State, the positions are to be shared between Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahya and the former Governor, Senator Mohamed Danjuma Goje.

In Imo State, the positions were recommended t0 be shared between former Governor Rochas Okorocha and Governor Hope Uzodinma; while in Zamfara State, Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle was favoured for a second term and two third majority of members of the State House of Assembly, while the former Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari was recommended to have preference in two senatorial districts save that of the Governor.

In Ogun State, the committee recommended sharing of position between former Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Senator representing Ogun Central at the National Assembly and his successor, Governor Dapo Abiodun.

According to a top party official who pleaded anonymity, Governor Abiodun was recommended to be supported by Senator Amosun for a second term in office with a majority members of the Ogun State House of Assembly.

15 out of 26 members of the Ogun State House of Assembly was recommended in favour of the Governor. He was also recommended to nominate the Senator from his Ogun East Senatorial District and five out of nine members of the Federal House of Representatives.

Former Governor Amosun was also recommended to have preference over Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial District tickets, influence four member of the Federal House of Representatives with two from Ogun Central and one each from Ogun West and East, and eleven members of the State House of Assembly.

The recommendation sighted by HorizonTimes reads in part, “His Excellency Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun should be supported to have a second term. Other suggestions are as follows; Senator Ibikunle Amosun should have preference over the Ogun Central, and Ogun West Senatorial District tickets.

“Senator Amosun should influence Four (4) House of Representatives tickets (2 in Ogun Central and one each in Ogun West and Ogun East). The Governor, His Excellency Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun should have the majority of the members of the State House of Assembly i.e. 15 while Senator Amosun should nominate 11 State House of Assembly members.”

To facilitate and ensure full implementation of the proposals in each of the affected seven States, it was further recommended that the former Governors/ Senators should be allowed to produce the lists of the five-man delegates in their respective Senatorial Districts.

President Muhammadu Buhari was also recommended to be fully involved in the implementation process because of hi urgency and the threat of losing key members of the Party to opposition parties.

The committee further said, “In making these recommendations, we take into consideration the fact that the main opposition party is anxiously waiting to cash in on the crisis of the party in the states and it is ready to give automatic tickets to all members of the APC who may defect to it.

“We, therefore, consider it imperative for Mr President to be fully involved in this reconciliation process because of its urgency and impact on the party. We cannot afford to lose strong members to the PDP at this critical moment of the party.”

HorizonTimes gathered that Governor Abiodun was one of Governors who have rejected the recommendations despite the involvement of the top echelons of the Party.

It was not clear, as at the time of this report, if President Buhari is involved as recommended.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin on the basis of the alleged rejection of the recommendations, dispelled the rejection saying his principal was on the same page with the NWC.

“What resolution? Be wary of the content of the so-called document you have. Every resolution favours the Governor and he's on the same page with the party's NWC,” Somorin said.

Somorin was further confronted with some details of the recommendations, but was yet to react to that as at the time of filling this report.

But a member of the APC in the State who is close to the seat of power and also did not want his name mentioned, suggested to HorizonTimes that the Governor might be hell bent because of Ogun West Senatorial ticket and the number of seats allocated to him in the Ogun State House of Assembly.

According to the source, Governor Abiodun is keen on keeping Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly called Yayi who presently holds the ticket and believed to be the financial of the Governor’s election in 2019.

The Source further hinted that the Governor was also insisting on two/third majority in the Ogun State House of Assembly, the number needed to protect his seat from any threat of impeachment and easy passage of bills.

Yayi, who has spent all his political live in Lagos since 1999 till date; from member of Lagos State House of Assembly, to member of Federal House of Representatives from Lagos and currently representing Lagos West in the Red Chamber, recently returned to Ogun State to secure the Ogun West Senatorial ticket.

Other contenders for the ticket like a three-time governorship candidate, Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka, a three-term member of the House of Representatives, Isiaq Akinlade, were compensated with House of Representatives ticket for Yayi to have the ticket.